By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times - Thursday, May 24, 2018

NRATV host Colion Noir enraged critics on Thursday who were eager to use an out-of-context tweet on de facto media control as a serious argument.

Vice News and slew of social media users lashed out over a new NRATV episode this week titled “How to Stop the Media From Inspiring Killers.” There was just one problem: Mr. Noir feigned support for “common sense limitations on our mainstream media’s ability to report” as a way illustrating the absurdity of many gun-control ideas.

A four-minute and 26 second NRATV episode embedded with his tweet made clear that any “feeling of anxiety” over possible First Amendment infringements should be felt when similar ideas are applied to the Second Amendment.

Vice’s Tess Owen published an article with the headline “NRA wants Congress to set ’limitations’ on how the news can cover school shootings,” even though she acknowledged his real intent in her penultimate paragraph.

“.@misstessowen Thank you for proving to the world with this disgustingly dishonest title that our media can’t be trusted to do their job objectively and throughly [sic],” Mr. Noir responded to the author. “I’ll be waiting for your retraction.”

Some of the other impulsive critics responded:

  • Mike Jollett: “What they are missing is that the First Amendment doesn’t kill 35,000 Americans every year.”
  • BenDavid Grabinski: “You stupid evil a—holes.”
  • Steve Rovner: “Merchants of death want to override the 1st Amendment. NRA has no shame.”

Mr. Noir’s broadcast first asserted that mass shootings do not occur in a cultural vacuum before making his faux case for “limitations” on the media.

“These kids aren’t being inspired by an innate hunk of plastic and metal laying on a table, they’re inspired by the infamous glory of past shooters who they relate to … and no entity on the planet does a better job whether directly or indirectly, of glorifying these killers, and thereby providing the inspiration for the next one … than our mainstream media,” he said.

“It’s time for Congress to step up and pass legislation putting common sense limitations on our mainstream media’s ability to report on these school shootings,” he continued. “You can still report on the shootings … we just need reasonable laws that place limitations on the glory and fame you give to these killers and their twisted motivations.”

The host then stopped to highlight the danger of such laws.

“You know that feeling of anxiety that shot through your body when I said the government should pass laws to limit the media’s ability to exercise their First Amendment right,” he asked. “That’s the same feeling gun owners get when they hear people say the same thing about the Second Amendment. Hearing me advocate for the government’s ability to limit anyone’s First Amendment rights, including the media, should anger all of you watching this video, the same way it should anger you when anyone tries to use the same limitations on the Second Amendment. …”

“I honestly believe ignoring shooters and not giving them any attention will do more to stop school shootings than any gun control measure ever will,” he continued. “However, I vehemently disagree with the government infringing on the media’s First Amendment rights the same way I don’t believe the government should infringe on anyone’s Second Amendment rights.”

Vice’s piece on Mr. Noir and NRATV was not updated as of 7:20 p.m. EDT.

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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